Olumide Akpata, the president of the Nigerian Bar
Association (NBA), says the issues delaying the approval of the electoral bill
may be a “smokescreen” to keep the present provisions for the 2023 polls.
President Muhammadu Buhari had, in December 2021, withheld
assent to the bill, stating that the clause recommending direct primary for
political parties “violates the spirit of democracy”.
Electronic transmission of election results and compulsory
direct primaries for political parties are among the amendments proposed by the
national assembly.
Speaking at a town hall meeting held on the electoral bill
and organised by Yiaga Africa, a civil society organisation, Akpata said it is
disappointing to have such back-and-forth issues on the bill even though the
president and the leadership of the national assembly belong to the same party.
“I’m so disappointed
with the ways things have panned out. Almost everything about that bill smells
progress. Most of the provisions of the bill are pro-people. I see those
provisions as incremental steps,” he said.
“We cannot get it right all at once. So, we can forgive
people that say our government is anti-people; you can forgive them if they
come to that conclusion.
“Everything rises and falls on leadership; leadership at the
executive arm and in the legislature. We have a bill that has so many innovations
that would advance the course of this nation and our people, including ensuring
that INEC gets funding one year before the election.
“People with
disabilities are included in the process, including that you must submit the
names of your nominees 180 days before the election. These are all all
provisions that are responding to issues that have been highlighted in the
process that are in need of fixing.
“So, Mr President has pointed out these issues of direct or
indirect primaries. He had decided that on the basis of that, he is sending it
back to the national assembly.
“I think that we can be forgiven when we conclude if this is
a smokescreen of some sort and that there is a spanner thrown in the works to
keep us in the moment, so that we will stay with the present dispensation,
because this is something that could easily have been fixed.
“Mr President is of the same party as those who control the
national assembly. If our leaders are interested in the progress for the people
and for the nation, these are house issues that could have been sorted out by
those in charge of affairs in both arms of government.
“Since the president
has thrown in the charge about the direct and indirect primaries and if that
provision is removed he would assent the bill, I welcome it to the members of
the national assembly to take him at his words. Take out those provisions; we
can deal with that further down the road. There is too much in that bill for
the baby and the bath water to be thrown away.”
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